Northwest Goshen house fire claims three in family

Cause of afternoon blaze under investigation.

Cause of afternoon blaze under investigation.

February 16, 2007|TOM MOOR Tribune Staff Writer

GOSHEN -- A mother and two of her six children died after a fire damaged their home on the city's northwest side Thursday afternoon. Firefighters were called to the rental home at 720 W. Pike St. about 2:30 p.m. after a neighbor smelled smoke coming from the house. Kimberly Love, 34; her son Kristian, 3; and her daughter Kiana, 11 months, were killed in the blaze, according to Elkhart County Coroner John White. White said he is still waiting for toxicology reports, but suspects Kimberly and Kiana died of smoke inhalation. White was unsure of Kristian's cause of death. Love's older children were at school at the time of the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation, said Goshen Fire Department Chief Dan Sink. "At this point, there's no reason to believe it was suspicious," he said. Several agencies, including the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office, were investigating. Sink said more information would likely be released today. The blaze was contained to one room and part of a hallway on the home's main floor, Sink said. No one else was home at the time. Firefighters did not encounter any flames when they arrived. "There was a tremendous amount of smoke damage," Sink said. "The fire damage was limited." Sink said investigators were interviewing surviving family members Thursday night. Mandy Reaker, an employee of a nearby Taco Bell, was working when firefighters arrived. She did not see any flames but noticed heavy smoke billowing from the front of the house. "It did seem pretty serious," Reaker said. "I saw a firefighter break down the front door to get into the house. But I think most of the fire was more toward the back." The residence is surrounded by a number of fast-food restaurants. A small car lot is next door. Reaker described the place as an apartment house and said more than one family may have lived there. Staff writer Tom Moor: tmoor@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6187